Borough crash back to earth after derby delight

Haverhill Borough fell to a second consecutive league defeat in a lacklustre performance against Kirkley and Pakefield on Saturday.

Borough secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over Rovers in the local derby on December 29, but have failed to back this up with successive defeats.

They started brightly with Charlie Holmes testing the Kirkley goalkeeper early on but, despite this, it was the visitors who took the lead after 18 minutes.

Home goalkeeper Ed Greenall seemed to have halted the danger as he produced a fine save to deny an attack. But his save saw the ball cannon out to a Kirkley player, who did not miss the rebound to leave Borough trailing.

The visitors continued to press and could have gone further ahead, with Liam Harvey-Cooper going particularly close on the half hour mark.

Borough’s Ryan Swallow, in response, was unlucky with a shot from the edge of the penalty area going just wide for Borough, but the visitors added insult to injury with their second goal from the penalty spot.

Kyle Baker was ruled to have been fouled by the onrushing Greenhall following a quick break by the visitors.

Two goals behind at the break, Borough lifted their performance in the second half and pressed more, eventually reducing the arrears on 72 minutes when Sam Hawley deflected in a corner.

But Kirkley always looked dangerous on the break and had a number of chances late in the game that could have put them further ahead.

Greenhall produced a couple of fine saves from Harvey-Cooper and Baker to handle the ball well under pressure.

* Borough remain in 20th position in the league, as they go into Saturday’s away fixture with 17th-placed Great Yarmouth Town (3pm).

It is the first time these two sides have faced each other this season.